Southern Sask. restaurants prepare for possible lockdown

With the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) encouraging people around southern Saskatchewan to take additional precautions from COVID-19 variants, restaurants are preparing for the possibility of another lockdown.

This news comes as the province reported an additional 85 variant cases of concern on Saturday afternoon.

Even though restrictions haven’t officially been introduced in Moose Jaw, the SHA gave out lengthy recommendations in hoping that cases could be prevented before spiralling to the levels seen in Regina.

For restaurants in Moose Jaw, there is a chance that the rise in cases could mean they would be returning to old measures which saw them operate through delivery and curbside pickup only.

Chris Schubert, owner of Rosie’s on River Street, says it feels like they are taking a few steps back instead of moving forward.

“People were kind of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and this just feels a little disheartening,” he said. “It feels like we are headed back to kind of where we were a year ago at this time.

“We know people have been craving a sense of normalcy and hopefully, if we do get shut down, it’s not for an extended length of time.”

Schubert’s biggest concern is inventory, as he says another lockdown would force his restaurant to go through all of its products.

“We were stuck with a ton of food and beer and everything like that and we ended up being closed for a whole month last time before we we opened up again,” Schubert said. “We were kind of new to the takeout and delivery game at the time. It was challenging, but if we need to pivot again, we will.”

There has been a huge push over the last year for people to support their local businesses, something that Schubert says people have been quick to do.

“We’ve been pretty fortunate that people in Moose Jaw embrace us pretty good here, (especially) last year when we needed them the most,” he said.

Dana Frechette works at the Buffalo Brew Pub in Swift Current, where no variants have been found yet. She hopes it stays that way for as long as possible.

“I think that it’s only a matter of time,” she said. “Regina and surrounding areas are shutting down and I just hope that people from there are staying safe and they’re not going to travel to Moose Jaw, Swift Current (and) Saskatoon and just keep spreading it because they can go and do stuff in other towns.”

Frechette feels safe going to work, and she trusts the public health measures, no matter how long they’re in place.

“We’ve been doing it a year now and we (have) to try and do what we can,” she said. “It’s a long road and I hope this will end.”

During a media conference Thursday, Dr. Saqib Shahab — Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer — said cases are popping up in rural areas in the southern part of the province.

“Weyburn and area (and) Moose Jaw and area are seeing an increase in case numbers and variants of concern,” Shahab said. “This just reinforces that while we have significant measures in Regina right now, all of us throughout Saskatchewan should continue to observe everything we’ve been doing.”

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Keenan Sorokan